Extensible Forms Description Language
| Filename extension |
.xfdl |
|---|---|
| Internet media type | application/vnd.xfdl |
| Type of format | Markup language |
| Standard | 4.0 |
Extensible Forms Description Language
Extensible Forms Description Language (XFDL) is a class of the Extensible Markup Language (XML) specified in World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) NOTE-XFDL-19980902, Extensible Forms Description Language (XFDL) 4.0, September 2, 1998. XFDL is a high-level computer language that facilitates defining a form as a single, stand-alone object using XML elements and attributes. It offers precise control over form layout, permitting replacement of existing business/government forms in a human-readable, open standard.
In addition to providing a syntax for in-line mathematical and conditional expressions, it allows the creator to include custom items, options, and external code functions.
XFDL not only supports multiple digital signatures, but the signatures can apply to specific sections of a form and prevent changes to signed content.
These advantages to XFDL have led to large organizations such as the United States Army to migrate from forms in other formats to XFDL.